Circular letter from William Pitt, Earl of Chatham to the governors of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina

Pitt, William, Earl of Chatham, 1708-1778

January 07,
1760

Volume 11, Pages 137-139

[B. P. R. O. Am: & W. Ind. Vol; 77.]

Circular Letter.

Whitehall Jany 7th 1760.

Sir.

His Majesty having nothing so much at heart as to improve the great and important advantages gained the last campaign in North Carolina and not doubting that all his faithfull and brave subjects there will continue most chearfully to cooperate with and second to the utmost the large expence extraordinary succours supplied by this Kingdom for their preservation and future security: And His Majesty considering that the several Provinces from Pensylvania inclusive to the Southward are well able with proper encouragement to furnish a Body of several Thousand Men to join the King's Forces in those Parts for some offensive Operation against the Enemy. And His Majesty not judging it expedient to limit the Zeal and Ardor of any of his Provinces by making a Repartition of the Forces to be raised by each respectively for this most important service I am commanded to signify to you the King's Pleasure that you do forthwith use your utmost Endeavours and Influence with the Council and Assemblv of your Province to induce them to raise with all possible dispatch within your Government as large a Number of Men as the Number of it's Inhabitants may allow

-------------------- page 138
--------------------

and forming the same into Regiments as far as shall be found convenient that you do direct them to hold themselves in readiness as early as may be to march to the Rendezoous at such Place or Places as may be named for that purpose by the Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Forces in America or by the Officer who shall be appointed to command the King's Forces in those Parts in order to proceed from thence in conjunction with a Body of His Majesty's British Forces and under the supreme command of the Officer to be appointed as above so as to be in a situation to begin by the First of May if possible or as soon after as shall be any way practicable such offensive operations as shall be judged by the Commander of His Majesty's Forces in those Parts most expedient for annoying the Enemy and the better to facilitate this important service the King is pleased to leave it to you to issue Commissions to such Gentlemen of your Province as you shall judge from their weight and credit with the People and their Zeal for the Public service may be best disposed and enabled to quicken and effectuate the speedy levying of the greatest number of Men in the disposition of which Commissions I am persuaded you will have nothing in view but the good of the King's service and a due subordination of the whole when joined to His Majesty's Commander—And all Officers of the Provincial Forces as high as Colonels inclusive are to have Rank according to their several respective Commissions agreable to the regulations Contained in His Majesty's Warrant of the 30th of December 1757.

The King is further pleased to furnish all the men so raised as above with Arms Ammunition & Tents as well as to order Provisions to be issued to the same by His Majesty's Commissaries in the same Proportion and Manner as is done to the rest of the King's Forces—And a sufficient Train of Artillery will also to provided at His Majesty's expence for the operations of the Campaign—The whole therefore that the King expects and requires from the several Provinces is, the Levying Cloathing and Pay of the Men and on these Heads also that no encouragement may be wanting to the fullest Exertion of your Force His Majesty is further most graciously pleased to permit me to acquaint you that strong Recommendations will be made to Parliament in their Session next year to grant a proper Compensation for such expences as above according as the active vigour and strenuous Efforts of the respective Provinces shall justly appear to merit.

-------------------- page 139
--------------------

It is His Majesty's Pleasure that you do with particular Diligence immediately collect and put into the best Condition all the Arms issued last Campaign which can be any ways rendered serviceable or that can be found within your Government in order that the same may be employed as far as they will go in this Exigency. I am at the same time to acquaint you that a reasonable supply of Arms will be sent from England to replace such as may have been lost or have become unfit for future service.

I am further to inform you that similar Orders are sent by this conveyance to Maryland Virginia No Carolina and So Carolina—The Northern Governments are also directed to raise Men in the same manner to be imployed in such Offensive Operations as the Circumstances and situation of the Enemy's Possessions in those parts may point out which it is hoped will oblige them so to divide their attention and Forces as will render the several attempts more easy and successfull. It is unnecessary to add anything to animate your Zeal in the Execution of His Majesty's Orders on this great Occasion where the future and safety and the Welfare of America and of your own Province in particular are so nearly concerned And the King doubts not from your known Fidelity and Attachment that you will employ yourself with the utmost Application and Dispatch in this promising and decisive Crisis.